Saginaw Spirit forward John McFarland to visit former team in Sudbury Friday

View full sizeCassi Alexandra | The Saginaw News
John McFarland of Saginaw Spirit plays against Guelph Storm hockey at The DOW Event Center on Sunday, January 9, 2011.

SAGINAW — John McFarland knows the city of Sudbury won’t be rolling out the red carpet for this visit.

Two and a half years ago, McFarland was the toast of the Northern Ontario town after the Sudbury Wolves made him the first overall pick in the 2008 OHL Draft and anointed him the league’s next big thing.

He spoke at a crowded press conference, where the team owner said he hoped to see McFarland’s number retired one day. He talked about bringing a championship to Sudbury. He saw his name on the marquee of the Sudbury Community Arena.

When he walks into that arena today, when his new team, the Saginaw Spirit, plays his old team, the Wolves, McFarland knows the reception will be different than it was on that May day in 2008.

“The guys joked around maybe I’ll get booed, maybe some things like that,” McFarland said. “Whatever they decide to do, I can’t control that.

McFarland will have company this weekend in returning to a former home. Saginaw’s Thursday and Friday opponents, Barrie and Sudbury, have been the counterparts in four Spirit trades over the last 14 months. Twelve players changed hands in those trades.

Many of those players will be seeing familiar faces this weekend. Spirit defenseman Dalton Prout visited the Colts team he was a captain of a month ago when the Spirit played Barrie on Thursday. Michael Sgarbossa, a Colt to start last season who was traded to Saginaw then to Sudbury, will face his Spirit teammates for the first time tonight. Eight other active players also will be playing against their former teams this weekend.

McFarland’s return, though, is likely to be the most charged (the Sudbury Star has already dubbed it the “game of the year.”) By virtue of his draft position, he drew early comparisons to former OHL superstars like John Tavares, and was expected to usher in a new era in Sudbury hockey.

By those standards, McFarland fell short. He put up 102 total points in his first two seasons — solid, but not standout numbers. The team finished in eighth place in both of his full seasons there.

The Wolves shipped him to Saginaw in a five-player deal in early December, that also saw defenseman Ben Chiarot join the Spirit. McFarland has acknowledged since the trade that he was ready for a change of scenery, and said he’s glad two months have passed between the trade and his return to Sudbury.

“It’s been a while since the trade,” McFarland said. “I think I’ve kind of turned the page, I think all that matters going into that game is getting the two points.”

Two months into his Saginaw tenure, it’s been a different story. His 11 goals in 20 games as a member of the Spirit are well above his pace in Sudbury. McFarland has six goals in his last six games, and has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing stretch for the Spirit.

“He seems to be picking up his play,” Spirit coach and General Manager Todd Watson said of McFarland. “I think he’s overall getting his feet grounded and playing better. I think he’s picked up other guys’ play more than anything.”

As for what he’ll hear when he first steps onto the Sudbury Community Arena ice tonight, McFarland is ready for a different reception than he’s used to.

“You can’t worry about that part of it,” McFarland said. “I think if they decide to do that, then so be it. I think it’s part of the game, I think it’s something a lot of players have gone through it with being traded. Obviously not everyone’s going to be too happy about it, but at the end of the day I’m just going to play my game and do what I can to help this team win.”